Harriman A E, Thiessen D D
Horm Behav. 1985 Jun;19(2):213-9. doi: 10.1016/0018-506x(85)90020-0.
Adult female gerbils in estrus, like other female rodents, tend to engage in proceptive displays toward conspecific males. The displays, which may be interspersed with the more usual female agonistic activity, if the males are strangers, are preceded by female olfactory investigation of those head areas in the male gerbil where Harderian letdown accumulates most densely. This study explored the possibility that the male Harderian glands are a source of olfactory signals which promote proceptive behavior but suppress female agonistic behavior. Female gerbils in estrus were found to display significantly less than normal rates of proceptive behavior toward Harderianectomized males. The proceptive activity which was observed appeared to be slowed, but the typical pattern was retained. Female aggression, however, was not affected by their estrous condition or by the Harderian state of the males. Possibly Harderian letdown in male gerbils may inform females as to the reproductive competence of the males.
处于发情期的成年雌性沙鼠，与其他雌性啮齿动物一样，往往会对同种雄性表现出求偶行为。如果雄性是陌生的，这些行为可能会穿插着更常见的雌性攻击行为，在此之前，雌性会对雄性沙鼠头部哈德氏腺分泌物积聚最密集的区域进行嗅觉调查。本研究探讨了雄性哈德氏腺是否是促进求偶行为但抑制雌性攻击行为的嗅觉信号来源。研究发现，处于发情期的雌性沙鼠对切除哈德氏腺的雄性表现出的求偶行为明显低于正常水平。观察到的求偶活动似乎有所减缓，但仍保留了典型模式。然而，雌性的攻击性不受其发情状态或雄性哈德氏腺状态的影响。雄性沙鼠的哈德氏腺分泌物可能会让雌性了解雄性的生殖能力。
